The use of varnish in the retail apparel ticketing industry is well known. Varnish is typically applied to apparel tickets to give apparel tickets a glossy finish, thus enhancing the appearance of the tickets. Additionally, the application of varnish to apparel tickets protects any underlying image that may be printed on the tickets.
Human workers may apply varnish to apparel tickets manually; however, more commonly, the application of varnish is accomplished using an automated process that utilizes machines. Varnish application can be accomplished using brushers, rollers, sprayers, or any other suitable method.
Current methods of supplying varnish to the machines that apply the varnish to the apparel tickets are unsatisfactory. The current methods of varnish supply allow the varnish solvent to quickly evaporate, thereby dramatically altering the viscosity of the varnish as the varnish thickens with the evaporation of the solvent. This is problematic, as it causes pumps used during the varnish application and supply process to become plugged, thus necessitating frequent maintenance and leading to prolonged downtimes. Furthermore, the thickened varnish affects the application of the varnish to the apparel tickets, and may negatively affect the quality of the desired final product. Furthermore, the current methods of varnish supply do not allow for a quick changeover between different varnish types. Therefore, whenever it is desired to apply a different type of varnish, the machines used in the varnish application and supply process must be manually cleaned, again leading to significant downtimes.
Therefore, what is needed is an improved machine for supplying varnish and an improved method for using such an improved machine.